Something To Do
by badly-knitted
Summary: Dee and Ryo have their friends over to watch a ball game on TV, but then the power goes out… Written for Challenge 229: Truth Or Dare at fan flashworks. Expanded version of the fic posted to the community.


**Title:** Something To Do

**Author:** badly-knitted

**Characters:** Dee, Ryo, JJ, Drake, Ted, Jim.

**Rating:** PG

**Setting:** After Like Like Love.

**Summary:** Dee and Ryo have their friends over to watch a ball game on TV, but then the power goes out…

**Word Count:** 2028

**Written For: **Challenge 229: Truth Or Dare at fan_flashworks.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.

**A/N:** Expanded version of the fic posted to the community.

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OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

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So much for having their friends over to watch the game; the power had gone out just before halftime and now here they sat, in the light of the candles Ryo had just lit, at a bit of a loss as to what to do next. The others could just give up and head home of course, but there weren't even streetlights to give illumination. The safest course of action was probably to stay put until the power came back. Maybe they'd still be able to catch the end of the game if they were lucky.

"Now what?" Dee asked. "We just goin' to sit here starin' at a blank screen or come up with somethin' else to do while we're waitin'?"

"We could always try having a conversation," Ryo suggested.

"I thought that was what we were already doin'. Not that it's gettin' us anywhere." Dee reached for a handful of potato chips, crunching them one after another.

"I know!" JJ piped up. "Why don't we play Truth or Dare?"

Dee threw a withering look JJ's way. "How old are you, twelve?"

"Come on, Dee, don't be like that. It'll be fun!" Enthusiasm bubbled out of JJ like foam from a shaken can of beer.

"Yeah, come on, Dee!" Ted urged. "When did you turn into such a stick in the mud? Time was, you'd be the first one to suggest it."

"That was back when we were all young and single, and tryin' to impress each other. We're a little old now for party games, don't ya think?"

"Speak for yourself. I've got a few years on you but I'm up for a game," Ted insisted. "And some of us are still single."

"Me!" Jim raised his hand. They'd all had a few beers and were a bit tipsy. "Single guy here!"

"Yeah, because you're a health nut who spends his days analysing disgusting stuff through a microscope. Might as well face it, buddy, you're doomed to stay single forever," Drake chuckled. "The moment you tell a girl what you do for a living, it turns 'em right off!"

"Hey! That is so not true! Lots of girls go for the brainy scientist type; I date plenty! It's just that I haven't found the right one yet…" He trailed off, staring morosely at the beer in his hand.

"I keep tellin' myself the same thing," Ted said mournfully. "But miss right is takin' her own sweet time finding me."

"Maybe you should think about switching teams," Drake teased from where he sat next to JJ. "Worked for me."

"Yeah, I don't think so. No offence, but I'm really not into guys that way. So, are we playin' or not?"

Dee gave in with reasonably good grace. "Ah hell, why not? There's not much else to do I guess."

"Yay!" JJ bounced on the sofa almost making Drake spill his beer.

"Careful, JJ!"

"Oops! Sorry, Drakey!" JJ gave his partner a quick peck on the cheek.

"You're forgiven," Drake said, taking a long drink of beer, draining half the can to ensure it was safe from spillage, just in case JJ started bouncing again. He was so full of energy sometimes he couldn't contain his enthusiasm.

"Alright then, who goes first?" JJ asked.

"You, since it's your idea." Dee leaned back on the other sofa, stretching long legs out and draping one arm around Ryo beside him.

"Okay." JJ slid to the edge of the seat, leaning forward, looking at each of his friends in turn before making up his mind. "Dee: Truth or dare?"

"Me?"

"Yep!"

"Argh! Why'd I ever agree to this?" Dee growled, and took a swig of beer while he thought things over. "Fine; dare."

"Hmm." JJ thought hard then jumped to his feet. "Ooooh, I've got it! I dare you to snog Ted!"

"What? No way!" Ted protested. "Nobody said anything about kissin'. No offence, Dee, but like I said, I'm not into guys; you're not my type. Think of something else, JJ!"

"Nope, that's the dare." JJ grinned cheekily. "Come on, Ted, it's just a game!"

"Yeah, don't be such a wimp!" Jim said. "I'm straight too, but I'd do it for a laugh."

"I'm startin' to think Dee was right and this was a dumb idea."

JJ all but pouted his disappointment. "Don't be like that!"

"Okay, fine, but no tongues!" Ted insisted.

"Scout's honor," Dee smirked.

Ryo snorted and nudged Dee with his shoulder. "You were never a boy scout."

"Judas! You didn't have ta tell them that!"

"Just get it over with, will ya?" Ted grumbled good-naturedly.

"Pushy!" Dee got up, sauntered across to the other sofa, where Ted was sitting with JJ and Drake, and leaned in. The kiss lasted quite a while and when Dee pulled away, Ted looked flushed, breathless, and a bit dazed. Everyone laughed and applauded.

"You okay there, Ted?" Drake asked solicitously. "You're looking a little hot."

"Damn!" Ted said as he pulled himself together and looked across at Dee, who'd returned to his seat beside his lover. "Where'd you learn to kiss like that? If you weren't a guy, I'd marry ya!"

"Sorry, Ted, he's already taken," Ryo chuckled. If he was jealous of Dee smooching one of their friends, he didn't show it.

"Okay, my turn!" Dee grinned widely. "Ryo: Truth or dare?"

"I might've known you'd pick me." Knowing Dee as well as he did, Ryo decided not to risk a dare. "Truth."

"Sure?"

"Safer than dare."

Dee grinned, flopping down beside his lover. "You asked for it. Who was your first male crush?" That was a question he'd wanted to ask for a while but had never quite gotten around to. It wasn't exactly the kind of thing that slotted easily into everyday conversation.

"I don't know." Ryo frowned in thought.

"That's it? You don't know? Not much of an answer." Dee had been hoping for at least a name, maybe of some film star or pop idol he could tease his lover about having a crush on later.

"No, I mean I never knew his name. I didn't think about it as a crush back then, but looking back… I was maybe eleven and he was… I guess seventeen, eighteen, something like that. It was summer break and he was cutting lawns in my neighbourhood; I watched him from my bedroom window when he was working next door. Cut-off jeans and no shirt, sun-bleached blond hair, no tan lines I could see… I thought I'd never seen anything so perfect." Ryo blushed. "I wanted to be just like him. Every Saturday for five weeks he was there, then he was gone and I never saw him again, but I've never forgotten."

"Should I be jealous?"

Ryo laughed. "Hardly; he was just a crush, wouldn't have even looked twice at a kid like me. Okay. Drake: Truth or dare?"

"Um, truth I guess."

For a moment Ryo stared into space, trying to come up with a question. "Ah, alright; is JJ a good kisser?"

"That's lame!" Dee crowed.

"So sue me! I haven't played this since I was ten!" Ryo was laughing and blushing at the same time.

"No, it's fine, I'll answer. A good kisser? He's amazing; he has the softest lips ever. I could kiss him all day."

"I use plenty of lip balm," JJ said. "Nobody wants to kiss cracked, dry lips."

"That's true," Dee agreed. "Gotta keep the kissin' equipment in good order." He looked at Ted. "You could use some; maybe then you wouldn't have so much trouble keepin' a girlfriend."

"There's nothing wrong with my lips; they're manly!"

"You just keep tellin' yourself that. Drake; your turn."

"Hm?" Drake had been grinning goofily at his boyfriend. "Oh, right. Uh… Jim: Truth or dare?

"Everyone seems to be going with truth so… dare."

"Living dangerously there, Jimmy!" Dee laughed.

"Screw you!" Jim gave Dee the finger, but he was grinning.

"Okay, got it! Call one of your exes and ask her out."

"I can do that." Jim pulled out his phone, flipped through his contacts, selected one and pressed dial. "Vivian, hi, it's Jim. Yeah, been a while hasn't it? I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go out for a drink tomorrow night…"

Five minutes later, Jim was still chatting on his phone.

"Now you've done it!" Ted grouched. "It's supposed to be his turn! Looks like we'll haveta think of something else to do now." It didn't occur to any of them that they could carry on without Jim, but thankfully while they were still arguing about what to do next, the lights and TV suddenly came back on to a chorus of yells as everyone hurriedly covered their eyes.

"Some warning would'a been nice!" Dee complained, blinking through his fingers as his eyes adjusted to the much brighter light.

"Hey, look!" Ted pointed at the TV screen. "It's not the end of the third quarter yet and the Giants are still leading by ten!"

"Woohoo!" Dee forgot about his dazzled eyes and punched the air. "Good thing it's not a home game; be kinda hard to keep playin' in the dark."

"Still twenty minutes of play left though," Drake said. "Anything could happen, the Eagles could still come out on top."

"Hey, JJ, I thought you had Drake's pessimism cured!" Dee joked.

"In everything but sports; that's still a work in progress."

"I drew Giants over Eagles in the office pool," Drake explained. "Every team I get loses; I haven't won the pool once since we started it."

"Maybe this'll be your lucky week, Drakey!" Nothing dented JJ's optimism.

"The power's back? When did that happen?" Jim asked, putting his phone away.

"Few minutes ago, while you were busy talkin' to… Vivian, wasn't it?"

"Yep! Thanks, Drake. Always regretted breaking up with her, but I never would've called her if you hadn't dared me to. We're getting together tomorrow night."

"Good for you, Jim!" Ryo at least was pleased for their friend.

"So what've I missed?"

"Giants are up by ten… Shit! Make that three. When did the Eagles score? I missed that!" Ted stared at the TV screen with a disgusted expression on his face.

"Don't count the Giants out yet; they still have the lead with the final quarter to play, and they need the win. They just have keep the Eagles from scorin' again, maybe get a few more points on the board themselves." Dee was more of a Jets fan, but the Giants still got his support as long as they weren't plying the Jets. He was a loyal New Yorker in all sports, supporting his local teams.

Everything else was forgotten as they watched the Giants run out the clock to finish out the third quarter still leading by three. As the TV station went into a break, Ryo got up to snuff out the candles. Dee got to his feet too.

"Who wants another beer?"

Several hands were raised so he headed for the kitchen to grab another six-pack from the refrigerator.

"More potato chips would be good too," Ted called after him.

Dee snagged a couple more giant bags of chips from the cupboard, brining them back into the lounge and tossing one to Ted.

"There ya go." He dropped the other bag on the sofa where he was sitting before handing out the beers and re-taking his seat.

Ryo sat down beside him. "You look happy," he murmured.

"Why wouldn't I be? An evenin' at home with my baby, watchin' football with all our friends; what could be better than that?"

"Well, when you put it that way, I guess it is pretty great," Ryo agreed, leaning across him to snag the bag of chips and opening it.

"Yep! We're lucky guys, and that's the truth!" Draping his arm around his lover once more, Dee set his beer on the end table and reached into the open bag, helping himself. They should do this more often, just not TOO often; as much fun as the evening had been, all he really needed to be completely happy was the man beside him.

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The End


End file.
